194 
JOURNAL OF THE PLYMOUTH INSTITUTION. 
the document upon which alone (so far as the writer knows) the 
statement rests is of doubtful validity." 
The Meavy charter is a deed of undoubted authenticity. For 
many years it has been exhibited in a case with others in the 
King's Library, British Museum, and it has been facsimiled by the 
Palseontographical Society. It is printed in Kemble, No. 744 
(iv. 35), and is a grant, in 1031, by King Cnut to his faithful 
minister (thegn), named iEtheric, of half a mansa (hide) of land 
at Msewi. No author or writer pointed out the identity of Msewi 
with Meavy until Mr. Davidson made the discovery, but there can 
be no doubt of the fact. The grant by King Cnut is witnessed by 
iEthelnoth, Archbishop of Canterbury, by Queen Emma-iElfgiffa, 
and by Bishops iElfsig of Winchester, Brihtwolde of Ramsbury, 
Brihtwig of Wells, iElmer of Selsea, Lyfing of Crediton, iEthelric 
of Dorchester (Oxon), and Brihtwine of Sherborne. Four duces 
or earls also sign, namely, Godwin, Hakun, Sihtric, and Hrani ; 
and several abbots and ministri (thegns). The Saxon boundaries 
of this " half-hide " correspond with the eastern and northern parts 
of the Meavy parish. Meavy before the Conquest, as we shall see, 
consisted of four separate portions, or rather there were four 
separate Meavies. Of the Meavy which was the subject of Cnut's 
grant, iEtheric was the holder in 1031 ; Alward in 1066. At the 
Conquest all four passed to Judhel of Totnes, and as Mr. Davidson 
suggests, " It may have been this circumstance which caused them 
to be grouped into one parish. If Lake Meavy be a pre-Norman 
name, it is probable that the four Meavies were called Church 
Meavy, Goda-Meavy (se g6da Msewi, the fertile Meavy), Hoo- 
Meavy (the high Meavy), and Lake Meavy." 
The most remarkable feature about this Meavy charter is the 
fact, ascertained by Mr. Davidson on the spot, that the boundaries 
of the estate are still clearly traceable, and that one of the land- 
marks is such a set of stepping-stones as within the past two or 
three years was so wantonly damaged at Shaugh Bridge. The 
ancient name for such a passage across a stream was, it now appears, 
"cleaca" — the Meavy charter, thanks to Mr. Davidson's investiga- 
tion, affording both the word and its interpretation. The point is 
so clearly set forth in a letter from Mr. Davidson which appeared in 
the Academy of July 29th, that I cannot do better than quote it : 
The boundaries of Cnut's grant are given, and correspond accurately 
enough with the northern and north-eastern parts of the present parish of 
